Notice

Clean Energy Partnership between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea

Published 23 November 2023

I. Introduction

As set out in the Downing Street Accord between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea of 22 November 2023, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘UK’) and the Republic of Korea (‘ROK’) (hereinafter jointly referred to as “the Participants” and in the singular as “a Participant”) acknowledge the essential role energy transition will play in their respective efforts and common goal to fight climate change. The Participants therefore establish the UK-ROK Clean Energy Partnership.

This Partnership sets out the Participants’ intent to strengthen cooperation on their shared interests and ambitions across the clean energy transition, low carbon technologies and domestic climate policies, and civil nuclear energy. It wraps and builds on energy and net zero cooperation between the Participants including the UK-ROK Civil Nuclear Energy Dialogue.

Together the Participants will seek to protect people and the planet, deepening their commitment to keeping a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise within reach and achieving net zero by 2050, in line with the trajectories set out in the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Climate Pact. The Participants commit to addressing energy security, the climate crisis, and risks to the supply of affordable, clean energy.

II. Areas of Cooperation

Clean energy transition

Underpinning all aspects of this partnership is a commitment by the UK and ROK to accelerate the global transition to net zero. To this end, the Participants recognise the need to intensify their cooperation to accelerate the decarbonisation of their energy systems to achieve net zero by 2050 and to support global sectoral ambitions including tripling of nuclear energy, tripling of global renewables capacity, and doubling of global energy efficiency improvements. The Participants acknowledge that initiatives such as the Breakthrough Agenda and Carbon Free Energy Initiative can play a role in achieving these shared goals.

The Participants reaffirm their commitment to cease issuance of new permits for new domestic unabated coal-fired power generational projects and reaffirm their existing phase-out commitments for domestic unabated coal power generation and will endeavour to accelerate the transition.

The Participants will cooperate to expand low carbon and carbon free energy such as renewables, nuclear, and hydrogen and utilize clean technologies to establish low-carbon power systems and support other countries in the same regard. Rapid decarbonisation is essential to an energy-secure future for both countries.

The Participants recognise the importance of implementing the Paris Agreement, Glasgow Climate Pact, and further COP commitments made on the clean energy transition and rapid decarbonisation of energy systems to keep the limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, including by taking enhanced climate actions during the critical decade of the 2020s.

Civil nuclear cooperation

To underpin strengthening cooperation on nuclear energy between the UK and ROK, multiple Memorandums of Understanding (“MOU”s) will be signed between the ROK and UK.  The MOUs to be signed include:

• the MOU between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of the ROK and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) of the UK Concerning Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation,
• the MOU between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) of the UK and Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD).
• the MOU between Korea Nuclear Association for International Cooperation (KNA) and Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) of the UK.

Based on the solid foundation established by these MOUs, the Participants will seek to maintain and develop the broadest possible relationship on civil nuclear cooperation, including active use of the UK-ROK Civil Nuclear Energy Dialogue. This includes exploring potential opportunities for deeper collaboration on nuclear new build programmes; strengthening fuel supply chains; safety, security and non-proliferation; decommissioning and waste management; and third country collaboration.

Furthermore, the Participants will explore collaboration opportunities on the development of gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, and other advanced nuclear reactors, in both countries and in third-country markets, and will also seek to explore potential opportunities to cooperate on financing and funding models for nuclear projects. The Participants will seek to do so recognising the highest standards of safety, security, safeguards and non-proliferation.

Offshore wind

Underpinned by the UK-ROK Offshore Wind MOU, the Participants will seek to accelerate the scale and speed at which offshore wind is deployed, driving forward commercial opportunities.

The Participants will enhance collaboration through policy and industry exchanges. This will include the sharing of information and lessons learned on policy areas identified as barriers to UK and ROK companies operating in each other’s markets. This will be delivered through the Offshore Wind Policy Dialogue, which will convene annually at senior official level. Areas of cooperation will include but are not limited to promoting business activities and collaboration between UK and ROK companies, supply chain, exchange of experts and joint technical development.

Hydrogen

The Participants will explore shared policy priorities for an official level exchange to support UK-ROK collaboration. This engagement will complement the existing UK hydrogen business activities in ROK, and UK-ROK engagement on low-carbon hydrogen through existing multilateral forums including the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy.

Critical minerals 

The Participants will establish a Critical Minerals Joint Working Group. This will explore working towards an MOU in respect of critical minerals to enhance research and innovation collaboration, encouraging partnerships between companies, industrial bodies, and academic institutions, information sharing and cooperation on international standards.

Grid/Infrastructure

The Participants will continue to facilitate cooperation on grids and infrastructure between Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and UK entities including the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) and The National Grid to enhance technical, policy, research and development and commercial exchange.

Research & Development (R&D)

The Participants will work to enhance energy R&D cooperation via the UK-ROK Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership, and to deepen cooperation via multilateral channels including Mission Innovation.

III. Governance and Implementation

The Participants will convene an annual UK-ROK Clean Energy High Level meeting to review progress and identify future areas for cooperation.  

The meeting will be co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for the UK and by the Vice Minister in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the ROK.

IV. Costs

This Partnership will not involve or envisage the transfer of financial resources between the Participants.

Each Participant will bear its own costs associated with the cooperative activities intended under this Partnership unless the Participants jointly decide otherwise in writing.

Activities conducted under this Partnership are subject to the availability of appropriate funds, in conformity with budgetary provisions and the relevant laws of each Participant.

V. Amendment, Termination and Dispute Resolution

At any time, a Participant may propose amendments to this Partnership, which may be jointly approved by the Participants in writing.

A Participant may terminate this Partnership by means of three months’ written notice to the other Participant. The Participants will seek to finalise the activities already under implementation.

Any dispute about the interpretation or implementation of this Partnership will be resolved amicably through consultations between the Participants and will not be referred to any national or international tribunal or third party settlement.

VI. General Provisions

This Partnership constitutes an expression of the Participants’ good faith to engage in the cooperation described herein.

The Participants acknowledge that this Partnership is not an international agreement, does not create any legally binding rights or obligations, and is without prejudice to the primacy of the Participants’ respective national legislation and international obligations.

This Partnership will not affect the Participants’ respective rights and obligations under international law or impose any financial obligations on the Participants.

This Partnership comes into effect on the signature date.

Signed in London on 22nd November 2023 in two (2) original copies, each in the English language.

For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Secretary of State Claire Coutinho
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

For the Government of the Republic of Korea
Minister Bang, Moon-Kyu
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy